Newspaper Box Reflection (Symbol)
The reflection Michael and Francis see when looking into a newspaper box is a symbol for society's inordinate suspicion of young Black men. When detailing the atmosphere of fear that permeates the greater Toronto area, Michael comments on how he and his brother grow up seeing the media report on "killings in bad neighborhoods, predators roaming close." One day, he and Francis peer "into a newspaper box to read a headline about the latest terror" and see in the glass a "reflection of our own faces." With this ominous symbol, Chariandy merges the boys' images with the newspaper photo of Black suspects to emphasize how people are liable to develop a prejudice that makes them conflate all young Black men with the criminals they see in sensationalized media.
The Rouge Valley (Symbol)
The Rouge Valley that runs through Michael's neighborhood is a symbol of the serenity of nature. While Michael describes the Park as full of run-down and charmless housing complexes, a "green scar" known as the Rouge cuts a line of fecund nature through the neighborhood. Formed by a glacier, the Rouge is a long stretch of green space set below the roads that surround it. Michael and Francis descend into the verdant valley as children to let their imaginations run wild as they connect with the natural environment and try to catch living things. As they become teenagers, it becomes a place of refuge to sit in silence and enjoy each other's company over a beer. To emphasize the Rouge's power as a place of peace and healing, Chariandy ends the novel with dialogue in which Aisha plans a visit to the valley for her, Ruth, Jelly, and Michael. With hard-won optimism, the group plans to shake off winter's depressing pall and reconnect with the nature springing back to life in the Rouge—a plan that suggests Michael and his mother are embarking on a new period of healing.
Holding the Blade (Symbol)
Francis's gesture of holding a local tough's knife is a symbol of self-sacrifice. In one of the episodes Michael recounts, he and Francis are out of the house one night when they encounter a group of local troublemakers in a bus shelter. While Michael wants to vacate the shelter, Francis insists that it's important not to show fear. A member of the group harasses Michael, calling him "bitch" several times before Michael attempts a sotto voce comeback. When the boy draws a knife and holds it low before Michael, Francis grabs the bare blade and holds it so tight his hand bleeds. The altercation ends with the tough relinquishing the knife and calling Francis "crazy." The incident earns Francis a reputation in the Park as someone not to mess with. But for Michael and Francis's friends, the gesture symbolizes Francis's willingness to put himself in harm's way to protect those he cares about. Michael references the moment later in the novel when commenting on Francis's similar gesture: reaching to stop the hand of a cop reaching for his gun to potentially harm Jelly.
Hydroelectricity Pole (Symbol)
The hydroelectricity pole Michael refers to in the prologue is a symbol of the need for mentorship and guidance as one proceeds through life. Calling it Francis's "place in the sky," Michael recounts how his brother once showed him a hydro pole he climbed to get a great view of the city. However, Francis warns his brother about the danger of the climb and insists Michael closely follow his lead and never become a conduit for the live wires that could electrocute him. The lesson serves as an allegory for the brothers' relationship, which sees Francis stand in as a role model in the void left by their absent father. When Francis dies, Michael's progress in life stalls, and he remains stuck in the place Francis left him, afraid to move ahead without guidance.
Anton's School Photo (Symbol)
The school photo of Anton that a newspaper prints following his death is a symbol for Michael and other racialized young people being reminded of their minority status in Canada. When commenting on the news coverage of Anton's killing, Michael emphasizes how amidst all the media a photo of Anton caught his attention. The photo was one of the formal school pictures "that for so many of us always seem to go wrong." Michael suggests that students of color in Scarborough often run into the issue of the photographer choosing a dark background into which dark-skinned students blend; the photographer's ignorance of how to light dark-skinned students is also evident in the failure to adjust light settings, which are set for the majority of students, who are white. The poorly shot photo of Anton is significant because it reminds Michael of how he and Anton are united by their minority status as the children of Black immigrants.
